Long Over Due
by toria55
Summary: Will has a conversation with Jack
1. Default Chapter

Title: Long Over Due   
Author: toria55  
Rating: G  
Spoilers: Solutions. Phase One   
'Ship: Jack and Will - NOT slash  
Disclaimer: Alias and all it's characters are owned by JJ Abrams and ABC. This story is not intended to infringe on the copyrights of the original creators. It is written for entertainment purposes only and is not intended for profit in any way.  
Author's note: Alias is my latest addition. Jack of course is my downfall.   
Reviews welcomed.  
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Chapter One  
Just Do It  
  
Will Tippin was enjoying his new job as a travel brochure editor. He actually found himself putting in more hours than he ever did when he worked at the newspaper. He found the work fascinating and rewarding. Of course, he knew he couldn't tell anyone that he wasn't editing travel brochures, but instead was writing summaries of multiple documents that came into the possession of his actual employer, the Central Intelligence Agency. His current assignment was to sort though 127 boxes of documents that had been retrieved by the CIA from the offices of SD-6.   
  
SD-6! What a nightmare that had been. All he wanted to do was give his best friend, Sydney Bristow, some closure on the death of her fiance. At the time he was 'investigating' Danny's death, he didn't know that Syd already knew all the facts surrounding Danny's death. Will now knows some of those facts.   
  
He also knows that there is a lot he will never know, which is fine with him. His investigation into SD-6 almost cost him his life. He's alive today only because Sydney's father somehow convinced Arvin Slone, the head of SD-6, that the death of a local reporter would cause more notoriety to SD-6 than letting him live.   
  
It was Jack Bristow that thought up the plan to convince the locals that Will Tippin's SD-6 story was just a drug addict's pathetic attempt at stardom. Once Will was revealed to be a heron addict, it took away any credibility or interest that anyone in the journalism field had for his story; or for him. Once his credibility was gone, there was no benefit to killing him. In fact, it most likely would have placed focus back on the story. Someone else would surely have started the investigation all over again.   
  
Ever since Will got his new job there was something that he had been wanting to do, but he still hadn't been able to get up the nerve to do it.   
  
Late at night, Will would drive by The Grill. He'd make one run though the parking lot to see if a certain black Lincoln was parked there. He was always relieved when it was not. Twice, however, he'd driven though the lot and saw that the car was there. Fortunately, he was always able to justify to himself why this was not the time to stop and confront the owner or the Lincoln.   
  
Tonight was different. Tonight he sat in the parking lot of this upscale bar and grill and thought about all that had happened over the last year and more important, what had happened over the last few weeks.   
  
Even though he was now an employee of the CIA, he's obviously not privileged to very many details about the take down of SD-6. He did however, know that in addition to saving his own life, the owner of the black Lincoln played a major role in taking down SD-6. He also knew that role almost cost Jack Bristow his own life.   
  
Will was now realizing how dangerous it is to be a CIA agent. He knew that someday they could go on a mission and just never return.   
  
Will was getting annoyed at himself for putting this meeting off for as long as he had. He had wanted to talk with Jack long before the SD-6 take down. He realized he almost lost his chance a few weeks ago, when Jack was almost killed. He was never told exactly what happened, but he knew it was a close call.   
  
Tonight as he sat in the parking lot he said to himself, "for god sakes Will, you confronted him in this same place a year ago when you thought he wanted to kill you, what's the big deal now?" With that thought he got out of his car and entered The Grill. "The Grill! What an appropriate name," he thought as he entered the building.   
  
1/3 Chapters 


	2. I Just Wanted To Tell You

Chapter 2  
I Just Wanted to Tell You  
  
Will walked into the restaurant with complete confidence in completing his mission. He entered and headed straight for the bar. Although the bar was crowded, it wasn't hard to spot Jack. Just like the first time he found him here, Jack was sitting alone, drinking at the bar.   
  
Upon seeing Jack, Will's first reaction was to leave quickly, before he was spotted. Your not taking the easy way out Tippin, he said to himself as he charged forward and took the seat next to Jack.   
  
Jack had been staring into his drink, wondering where in the world Arvin Sloane was hiding. Somehow he had to find him. Until Arvin Slone is in custody, neither he nor Sydney would be safe.  
  
As soon as Will sat down, Jack looked to up see who was invading his privacy.   
  
"Hi, Jack. How's it going?" Will said to him.  
  
Jack didn't answer him, he just looked at him wondering what Tippin was doing tracking him down this time. He was more surprised to see him this time, then he was the last time. At least the last time Will confronted him there was a reason for it.   
  
"Why was he here now?" Jack wondered. Before he had a chance to ask, the bartender walked up. Will ordered a beer. Jack took a final drink from his glass and ordered a refill.  
  
Jack waited for Will to tell him why he was there. By the time the bartender came back with their drinks Will still hadn't said a word. He did offer to pay for both drinks. Jack watched as Will fumbled first with his wallet and then with his drink.   
  
Finally Jack said to him, in a voice that was clearly irritated and impatient. "What do you want, Will?"  
  
"This really is a nice place." Will said looking around, trying to stall the conversation. "I like to think of this as our place." he added with a forced smile.   
  
Jack's response was to look at him with an expression that said he was annoyed by Will's attempt at humor. "What do you want, Will?" he asked again.   
  
"You know Jack, the last time I meet you here I was so scared. My mouth felt like it was full of fur balls and my hands were dripping with cold sweat."  
  
Jack lifted his glass and before taking a drink he said, "Will, if you've been kidnapped again, I had nothing to do with it."   
  
Will chuckled. "That's funny Jack. No I wasn't kidnapped. I just wanted to.. . I've been wanting to tell...."   
  
"Will, what the hell is it?" Jack said raising his voice, not loud enough for anyone to hear, but loud enough to startle Will and cause him to jump back and almost fall of his barstool.   
  
"God," Will thought to himself, "why does this man make me so nervous?" Then he said to Jack, "You like to intimidate people don't you, Jack?"  
  
"I like people to not waste my time. If you have something to say, just say it and leave." Jack instructed.   
  
"Yea," Will said to himself, "just say it and leave."   
  
He took a drink of his beer and then turned to Jack,"Okay. Okay. It's like this. When we had our business before, I had no idea who you were or what kind of man you were. The only thing I knew about you was that you were my best friends father. I also knew that emotionally you were never there for her." As he said this last part Jack turned away and looked down at the barcounter.   
  
Will continued, "One time there was a group of us sitting around telling stories about fights we had with our parents when we were teenagers. You know, the things that were a big deal at the time but now they're just something to laugh about. Everyone had two or three different stories to share. Syd just sat there and laughed along with everyone, until some asked her tell about her biggest fight with you. All she said was 'I never fought with my father. He never cared what I did.' She then got up and left the table."   
  
Jack didn't want to hear anymore of this. He knew his short comings with Sydney's youth. Then he did what he does best and he cut Will off in a very low and only slightly controlled voice, "I'm not going to discuss with you, my relationship with my daughter."  
  
"Yea, I know. You said that the last time we meet also." Will answered him.   
  
Then Will said to himself, "I don't have much time left before this guy really blows up and walks out on me. Just say what you came to say and get the hell out of here."  
  
Will took a long drink out of his beer and looking straight ahead he said, "You know this is harder for me than confronting the guy that threatened to kill me and my whole family."  
  
"Will, please, your giving me a headache. Just focus on what you want to say and get it over with."   
  
Will turned and looked at Jack, "The last time we talked here, I asked you to convince me that whatever the hell you were up to, that at least it was in Sydney's best interest. Of course you told me in that charming way that only Jack Bristow can, that your relationship with Sydney was none of my business."  
  
"Will, I'm tired. I don't want to argue with you. What do you want?" Jack again asked, wanting to get to the core of what Will was up to.   
  
"I just wanted to tell you ... Well actually there's two things I wanted to tell you." Will hesitated again and thought to himself, "Why is this so hard?"   
  
Will never had problems complimenting people before. He has always been able to tell a person that he thought they did good work or that he valued their friendship. So why is it so difficult to tell this man how he admires him? How he realizes that men like Jack are the unsung hero's of history. That even though history books will never write about the things he's done, for this country, and that he himself would never fully know the real sacrifices Jack has made, all he wanted to tell him was that he had his respect and admiration.   
  
"Ok." he told himself. He's just going to do what Jack told him to do, focus and spit it out.  
  
"Jack, I just wanted to tell you..., I wanted to tell you that I now know the answer to my question. I know that what you do is in Sydney's best interest and that as long as you're around, I won't worry about what she does."  
  
That wasn't what Jack expected. He didn't know how to respond. He turned away from Will and took a drink of his scotch.   
  
While Jack was staring into the bronze liquid Will realized that he'd better say the rest now or he'll lose his nerve forever. "And, I wanted to thank you for saving my life."   
  
Again, this was not what he was expecting. Jack wasn't use to people thanking him for anything he did. He didn't know how to reply, but in a contrite voice he said, "is that it?"   
  
"Yea, that's it. Except..." Will hesitated, he did have one more thing that the wanted to say, but he didn't know how Jack would react.   
  
"What the hell," he said to himself, he got this far, he might as well go all the way. In one long quick breath Will said the rest of what he came to say, "I also wanted to tell you that I think your an amazing guy, but I think you might hit me if I did, so even though I think you are, I wouldn't say it." With that Will stood up and started to walk away.   
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2/3 Chapters 


	3. Mission Accomplished

Chapter 3  
Mission Accomplished  
  
As Will walked away, Jack continued to stare into his drink. He was totally speechless. Not many people were able to leave Jack Bristow speechless, but then again, not many people told him that they admired him.   
  
Will was just a few feet away when he heard Jack call his name. He turned around to see what he wanted.   
  
"Why don't you stay and finish your beer," Jack invited him.   
  
"Whoa, was he actually asking me stay?" At first Will didn't know what to do, but then he said to Jack, "Thanks, I'd like to."  
  
For the first few minutes neither man spoke. Finally Jack asked, "So how's the job going?"   
  
"You mean the travel brochure business?" Will whispered to him, unsure of what he was allowed to talk about.  
  
For this first time this evening Jack smiled and said, "yea, the travel brochure business."  
  
"You know, it's actually very interesting, but sometimes I get overwhelmed and I think I'm in over my head." Then he lean towards Jack and in a low voice he said, "Can I tell you this?"  
  
"Yes," Jack answered him, "Just don't give specifics when your in public."  
  
For Will, this was like the opening of a flood gate. He was very anxious about the new assignment that had been delivered to him. He appreciated being able to talk to anyone that was allowed to listen. "I have these dozens of boxes of documents that were recovered from a raid and they want me to sort them out and write a report about them. I opened a few of the boxes and I don't even know where to start."  
  
Jack looked at Will and said, "Will, I know what's in those boxes. I had them sent to you. They're mostly low grade intel, but we still need to know what's there."   
  
Will was shocked when he heard Jack tell him that he was the one that sent the boxes. This actually made him even more anxious then he was before. This meant that Jack would be reviewing his work. What if he didn't meet his standards? What would Jack think of him then?   
  
"Jack, you had the boxes sent to me?" Will said in a panicked voice.   
  
"Yea," Jack answered him, surprised by Will's reaction. "Why not? That's what you were hired to do, wasn't it?"  
  
"But, I'm still new at this stuff, why would you think I could handle something this big?"   
  
Jack smiled again, "Take it easy Will, it's really pretty simple if you do it the right way."  
  
Then for the next two hours Will listened and took notes as Jack gave him advice on how to sort and track the documents. He instructed him to draw up grafts with timelines. He also gave him advice on what intel to look for. He told him not to write just one report but a series of reports that would be compiled into one main report.   
  
As Will was writing his notes, trying to keep up with Jack's instructions, he thought to himself, "Is there anything this guy doesn't know how to do?"   
  
He had gotten advise on how to write reports from his handler as well as Syd and Vaughan, but there was something about the way Jack was explaining it to him that allowed him to actually 'get it'.   
  
Just as Jack was finishing his advice the bartender walked up and told them that it was last call because they closed early on Tuesday nights. Until this point neither Jack nor Will had realized how long they had been talking. They both declined a final drink. They finished what was left in their glasses and left the bar.   
  
Will was anxious for the new day to start so that he could rip into his new assignment with complete confidence that he could pull everything together in a comprehensive report. In the parking lot he offered Jack his hand and said, "Thanks Jack, for trusting me to do this."   
  
"No problem Will. I wouldn't have given it to you if I didn't think you could handle it." He answered as he shook Will's hand.   
  
"I guess I'll see you around." Will said.  
  
"Anytime, Will. After all, you know where to find me."   
  
With that Jack turned and walked away, leaving Will with a smile on his face and a feeling of pride in having gone forward with his long over due mission.  
  
The End  
3/3 Chapters  
Thanks again for your reviews 


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